Dr. Parsa on a Trial Analyzing G-200 for Glioblastoma

Andrew T. Parsa MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Residence of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, describes the design of a trial analyzing prophage G-200 vaccine for recurrent glioblastoma multiforme.

Prophage G-200 is an autologous, patient-specific vaccine used to provoke an immune response in patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme. This ongoing phase II study, sponsored by the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, a cooperative group of the National Cancer Institute, was designed so that patients who have recurrent glioblastoma undergo surgical resection and have confirmation of their diagnosis. Then, the resected tissue is converted into the vaccine, which is held by researchers.

Patients in the trial are randomized to one of three arms: bevacizumab alone, the current standard of care in this disease, bevacizumab in combination with the vaccine, or the vaccine followed by bevacizumab. The study looks to answer the question of whether prophage G-200 can facilitate long term overall survival.